Stars of TV’s ‘SOAP’: Then and now

April 15, 2013 8:51 PM

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Hey, Gen-Xers and baby boomers, remember the TV sitcom SOAP?
The nighttime parody of soap operas that ran from 1977 to 1981 included alien abduction, demonic possession, murder, kidnapping and promiscuity. It was also listed as one of Time magazine’s “100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME” and the two families focused on in the series – the Tates and the Campbells – were TV Guide’s 17 “Top Families” of television.
Click through this gallery to see the actors then and now (though, as reality would have it, a few of the actors have since passed on.)
Season Four - 10/24/80 Top row, left: Billy Crystal (Jodie), Ted Wass (Danny), Richard Mulligan (Burt), Robert Mandan (Chester), Donnelly Rhodes (Dutch), Jennifer Salt (Eunice), Roscoe Lee Browne (Saunders); bottom left: Jimmy Baio (Billy), Cathryn Damon (Mary), Arthur Peterson (The Major), Katherine Helmond (Jessica), Jay Johnson (Chuck/Bob) less

Hey, Gen-Xers and baby boomers, remember the TV sitcom SOAP?
The nighttime parody of soap operas that ran from 1977 to 1981 included alien abduction, demonic possession, murder, kidnapping and promiscuity. It ... more

Billy Crystal played Jodie Dallas — From Wikipedia: The son of Mary Campbell and her first husband Johnny Dallas. An openly gay man, he later fathers a daughter (Wendy) with Carol, an attorney at Aunt Jessica\'s murder trial, who seduces him. After Carol runs off to join the rodeo, Wendy is left with Jodie, triggering a custody battle and a kidnapping. The series ends with Jodie believing himself to be an old Jewish man named Julius Kassendorf due to a failed hypnotherapy session. less

Billy Crystal played Jodie Dallas — From Wikipedia: The son of Mary Campbell and her first husband Johnny Dallas. An openly gay man, he later fathers a daughter (Wendy) with Carol, an attorney at Aunt ... more

Billy Crystal played Jodie Dallas — From Wikipedia: The son of... Photo-4477233.60458 - Times Union

Jennifer Salt played Eunice Tate-Leitner — From Wikipedia: Eunice is Jessica and Chester\'s daughter. A spoiled social climber, Eunice dated a married Congressman in season one and then falls in love with convicted murderer Dutch Leitner and ultimately marries him. less

Jennifer Salt played Eunice Tate-Leitner — From Wikipedia: Eunice is Jessica and Chester\'s daughter. A spoiled social climber, Eunice dated a married Congressman in season one and then falls in love with ... more

Robert Guillaume played Benson —From Wikipedia: Benson was the Tates\' wisecracking butler in the early seasons, who showed utter contempt for Chester, but had a soft spot for Jessica, Corinne, and Billy, and completely ignores Eunice. In 1979, Benson leaves to be the head of household affairs for Jessica\'s cousin, Governor Eugene Gatling, in the spin-off, Benson. less

Robert Guillaume played Benson —From Wikipedia: Benson was the Tates\' wisecracking butler in the early seasons, who showed utter contempt for Chester, but had a soft spot for Jessica, Corinne, and Billy, and ... more

Robert Guillaume played Benson —From Wikipedia: Benson was the... Photo-4477241.60458 - Times Union

Diana Canova played Corinne Tate Flotsky — From Wikipedia: She\'s Jessica and Chester\'s daughter, who acknowledges she slept with most of the male population of Dunn\'s River. It is later revealed that she is adopted and is really the daughter of Jessica\'s long lost brother Randolph Gatling and family maid Ingrid Svenson. Corinne gives birth to a baby named Timmy who turns out to be demon-possessed, and leaves home to raise her child after Dutch chooses Eunice. less

Diana Canova played Corinne Tate Flotsky — From Wikipedia: She\'s Jessica and Chester\'s daughter, who acknowledges she slept with most of the male population of Dunn\'s River. It is later revealed that she ... more

Richard Mulligan played Burt Campbell (Mulligan passed away in 2000) — From WIkipedia: Burt is the second husband of Mary Campbell. Burt is a high-strung building contractor who later becomes sheriff and is under consideration for a run as lieutenant governor. In Season one Burt suffers from mental illness due to the stress of accidentally killing Mary\'s first husband, and the murder death of his son Peter, and believes he can make himself invisible by snapping his fingers. He is also at one point abducted by aliens and replaced with X-23, an alien Burt lookalike (also played by Mulligan). At the end of season three, Burt becomes sheriff and gets involved in politics, leading him to ignore his family. less

Richard Mulligan played Burt Campbell (Mulligan passed away in 2000) — From WIkipedia: Burt is the second husband of Mary Campbell. Burt is a high-strung building contractor who later becomes sheriff and is ... more

Jimmy Baio played Billy Tate —From Wikipedia: He was the youngest child and only son of Jessica and Chester (according to Benson, \"the only one in this family worth a damn.\"). He gets caught up in a cult (from which Benson has to rescue him), and later has an affair with his very young teacher. After he breaks off the affair, she makes multiple failed (and laughable) attempts to kill him and/or his family. He later becomes a general in El Puerco\'s revolutionary army after rescuing him and Jessica from being lost in the ocean, learning Spanish and becoming very devoted to the revolutionaries\' anti-Communist cause, though his family members do not take this seriously. less

Jimmy Baio played Billy Tate —From Wikipedia: He was the youngest child and only son of Jessica and Chester (according to Benson, \"the only one in this family worth a damn.\"). He gets caught up in a cult ... more

Jimmy Baio played Billy Tate —From Wikipedia: He was the youngest... Photo-4477255.60458 - Times Union

Billy (Jimmy Baio) pursued a relationship with his history teacher,... Photo-4477257.60458 - Times Union

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Jimmy Baio in 1986.

Jimmy Baio in 1986.

Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd., WireImage

Jimmy Baio in 1986. Photo-4477259.60458 - Times Union

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Ted Wass played Danny Dallas — From Wikipedia: Mary Campbell\'s eldest son. A low-level gangster, he is given the task of killing his stepfather Burt, but can\'t bring himself to, and as a result spends most of Season One on the run. It is widely assumed that he is the son of Mary\'s first husband Johnny Dallas but in later episodes it is revealed that his real father is Chester Tate. He is very protective of his younger half-brother Jodie, but is initially in denial about Jodie\'s homosexuality. Danny is forced to marry Elaine, a mob boss\'s daughter who would later be kidnapped and murdered. Danny later gets involved in a series of failed relationships, including a girlfriend of one of Elaine\'s kidnappers, an African-American woman, a prostitute, and Chester\'s new wife. He later becomes Burt\'s deputy sheriff. less

Ted Wass played Danny Dallas — From Wikipedia: Mary Campbell\'s eldest son. A low-level gangster, he is given the task of killing his stepfather Burt, but can\'t bring himself to, and as a result spends most ... more

Ted Wass in 1992 as Nick Russo in the series... Photo-4477261.60458 - Times Union

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Burt (Richard Mulligan) announced he would run for Sheriff, and Danny (Ted Wass) wanted to be Deputy.

Burt (Richard Mulligan) announced he would run for Sheriff, and Danny (Ted Wass) wanted to be Deputy.

Burt (Richard Mulligan) announced he would run for Sheriff, and... Photo-4477262.60458 - Times Union

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Ted Wass.

Ted Wass.

Photo: Touchstone Pictures, Touchstone Via Getty Images

Ted Wass. Photo-4477263.60458 - Times Union

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Jay Johnson played Chuck and Bob Campbell — From Wikipedia: Chuck is Burt Campbell\'s son by his first marriage. A ventriloquist, he is always accompanied by Bob, his dummy and alter ego, and the pair are always referred to as \"Chuck and Bob\". While Chuck is mild mannered, introverted, and polite, Bob is rude and abrasive. All of the main characters with the exception of Benson and Saunders find themselves conversing with Bob as a real person multiple times, even in the face of fierce determination not to. less

Jay Johnson played Chuck and Bob Campbell — From Wikipedia: Chuck is Burt Campbell\'s son by his first marriage. A ventriloquist, he is always accompanied by Bob, his dummy and alter ego, and the pair are ... more

Katherine Helmond played Jessica Tate —From Wikipedia: The sister of Mary Campbell and one of the two main characters of the show. She is married to Chester Tate but divorces him in the later episodes. Sweet natured and extremely naive, she is in denial of her husband\'s infidelities throughout the first season. Extremely sheltered, she has no concept of the seriousness of her murder trial. less

Katherine Helmond played Jessica Tate —From Wikipedia: The sister of Mary Campbell and one of the two main characters of the show. She is married to Chester Tate but divorces him in the later episodes. Sweet ... more

Donnelly Rhodes played Dutch Leitner — From Wikipedia: Dutch is an escaped convict who hides out at the Tates\' after helping Chester break out of prison. He eventually marries Chester\'s daughter Eunice.

Donnelly Rhodes played Dutch Leitner — From Wikipedia: Dutch is an escaped convict who hides out at the Tates\' after helping Chester break out of prison. He eventually marries Chester\'s daughter Eunice.

Robert Mandan played Chester Tate (second from left)— From Wikipedia: He was a wealthy stock broker and Jessica\'s philandering husband. Chester and Jessica separate in season three and divorce in season four, although Chester still loves Jessica enough to duel for her honor. less

Robert Mandan played Chester Tate (second from left)— From Wikipedia: He was a wealthy stock broker and Jessica\'s philandering husband. Chester and Jessica separate in season three and divorce in season ... more

Robert Mandan played Chester Tate (second from left)— From... Photo-4477274.60458 - Times Union

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Robert Mandan with Dinah Shore in 1987.

Robert Mandan with Dinah Shore in 1987.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

Robert Mandan with Dinah Shore in 1987. Photo-4477275.60458 - Times Union

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Diane Venora, Mili Avital and Robert Mandan in 2006.

Diane Venora, Mili Avital and Robert Mandan in 2006.

Photo: Mark Sullivan, WireImage

Diane Venora, Mili Avital and Robert Mandan in 2006. Photo-4477276.60458 - Times Union

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Now for a run through classic images from the series:
Episode 70 - Season Four - 11/12/80
Mary (Cathryn Damon) and Burt (Richard Mulligan) were relieved that their baby was white.

Now for a run through classic images from the series:
Episode 70 - Season Four - 11/12/80
Mary (Cathryn Damon) and Burt (Richard Mulligan) were relieved that their baby was white.

Now for a run through classic images from the series:
Episode 70 -... Photo-4477278.60458 - Times Union

Season Four - Episode 73 - 12/3/80
On her way to the Caribbean for some rest, Jessica (Katherine Helmond) crossed paths with a Latin American revolutionary, Carlos \"El Puerco\" Valdez (Gregory Sierra).
(ABC/BOB D\'AMICO) less

Season Four - Episode 73 - 12/3/80
On her way to the Caribbean for some rest, Jessica (Katherine Helmond) crossed paths with a Latin American revolutionary, Carlos \"El Puerco\" Valdez (Gregory Sierra). ... more

Season Four - Episode 73 - 12/3/80
On her way to the Caribbean for... Photo-4477310.60458 - Times Union